


Iridescent (Say That You'll Love Me Only)

by expressdrive



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, I can only fluff really, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-26
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2018-08-11 03:23:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7874260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/expressdrive/pseuds/expressdrive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss. But every once in a while, you find someone who's iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare—Wendelin Van Draanen</p><p>aka Kyungsoo is Julianna and Jongin is Bryce in this fic which is heavily inspired by the cutest film of all time, Flipped.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Iridescent (Say That You'll Love Me Only)

The first time Jongin met Do Kyungsoo, he had his brows furrowed.

He looked at Jongin with those huge, seemingly judging, eyes. His hair was jet black, same as Jongin’s, and its style made him look like he was two. Kyungsoo was sitting on the grass, a helicopter toy in hand and his gaze following their moving car.

Jongin’s family had moved to a new place because of his father’s work. They moved a lot, but Jongin didn’t really mind. An eight year old boy like him didn’t really mind anything at all as long as he had his baseball hat inside his suitcase.

When they got off the car, Jongin saw Kyungsoo jogging towards them, still with that helicopter toy in hand.

Jongin scanned him from head to toe while Kyungsoo continued looking at him with those judging eyes. Jongin hated it. It annoyed him to no end despite having known Kyungsoo’s presence for just a few minutes. Jongin didn’t even know his name yet.

“Hey!” Kyungsoo greeted, a hint of eagerness and excitement evident on his voice.

Jongin flinched, not really wanting to make friends this early. And it wasn’t like he wanted to be friends with Kyungsoo. He wanted to turn around and just ignore him but his mother beat him to it, interrupting and giving Kyungsoo a reason to stay and talk some more.

Smiling gently, she placed both of her hands on Jongin’s shoulder. “I see you’ve already found yourself a friend, dear. And you are?”

Kyungsoo beamed and bowed before introducing himself. “Hi, my name is Do Kyungsoo. I live across the street.”

Jongin scowled. He didn’t really want to know more about him.

“Oh, it’s nice meeting you Kyungsoo! This boy here is my son, Jongin. I’ll leave you two here and we’ll be inside to arrange things, okay?” She left after telling Jongin to be a good boy and to have fun playing with his new friend.

Kyungsoo nodded and the scowl on Jongin’s face never left. He didn’t want to play with Judging Eyes. Jongin refused to call him Kyungsoo. So instead of being a good boy, he turned to run to the house, but Kyungsoo was fast and his hand grazed on Jongin’s arm.

On instinct, Jongin shrugged Kyungsoo’s hand off of his arm, but Kyungsoo won’t let him and he ended up grabbing Kyungsoo’s hand. Yes, Judging Eyes’ hand.

Rooted to the ground, he stared straight into Kyungsoo’s huge eyes. He couldn’t believe he was holding a stranger’s hand.

Kyungsoo stared back at him as he was burning holes into his face and Jongin could not have been more thankful to hear his mother’s voice, asking for him to come inside the house for a while.

But Jongin could never, ever in his life, forget those judging eyes.

 

 

The first time Kyungsoo met Kim Jongin, he flipped.

He was eight back then, happily playing with his new helicopter toy given to him as a gift for his eighth birthday by his mother. Simple things like this made him happy - eating with his family made him happy, singing along with his two older brothers made him happy, watching his father paint made him happy. Simple things for a simple boy, nothing complicated.

Nothing complicated, at least, until he saw that white car park in front a house that had been vacant for as long as he can remember. Inside the car was a boy whose hair color was the same as his. Kyungsoo swore he saw the boy smile at him, so he jogged across the street when the car halted.

He waited until the boy and his family (he guessed), got out of the car and when he was finally standing close to the boy, he noted how nice the boy’s eyes were. Those dazzling eyes - there was something so beautiful and captivating about them. Kyungsoo couldn't stop staring at them.

The boy’s mother approached them and Kyungsoo was ecstatic to learn his name.

_Jongin._

He mentally repeated the name in his mind. It was a pretty good name, he noted. When Jongin’s mother excused herself to attend matters inside the house, Kyungsoo was surprised to see how Jongin wanted to play in an instant. It looked like Jongin wanted to play tag, so Kyungsoo chased after him and the most amazing thing happened.

Actually, Kyungsoo wasn’t so sure how it happened, but the next thing he knew, Jongin was already holding his hand. He looked up at Jongin and saw him staring straight into Kyungsoo’s eyes and his heart stopped. He swore it did; his heart and everything else, for that matter.

Kyungsoo thought of a movie his brother had been watching the other day. That scene where both leads kissed and he couldn’t stop thinking how it was so similar to this.

Never mind if the other lead in the movie was a girl, their position was so similar that Kyungsoo blocked everything else in his mind. He concentrated on the thought that _this was it_ , he was going to get his first kiss from that boy with dazzling eyes.

His first kiss- it didn’t happen though. Jongin’s mother called for him and asked him to come inside the house for a moment. But it was okay - Kyungsoo thought that they had forever for it to happen; and it would, someday.

 

 

For the past ten years, all Jongin ever wanted was for Kyungsoo to leave him alone. He was always there, chasing after him, talking to him, doing anything to be near him. Well, they were neighbors but that was beside the point. It didn’t help that Jongin’s parents seemed to have taken a liking on Kyungsoo.

They were in the last year of high school now and Jongin couldn’t wait for the school year to end. He would be attending a dance school with a new environment, new friends, new mentors, and no Do Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo had a liking in singing and Jongin couldn’t deny that he was really good at it. But hey, the point is, after high school, they wouldn’t be together anymore.

Jongin smiled to himself, not minding whatever his teacher was babbling about in front. The thought of not seeing Do Kyungsoo (and his eyes) every single day was refreshing.

 

 

Kyungsoo sat behind Jongin, not paying attention to class. He was scribbling Kim Jongin in different styles and fonts and colors on his notebook, while occasionally stealing glances to Jongin’s back.

Kyungsoo held in his smile as he thought about when Jongin had been going to kiss him but failed because of his mom. Up until then, Jongin was still walking around with Kyungsoo’s first kiss. And he will never give it to no other. Just Jongin and Jongin himself.

In their last year in middle high though, Jongin started hitting on girls and Kyungsoo didn’t like it. He didn’t like how those girls swarm around Jongin (boys even, especially when they entered high school). He couldn’t blame them though, because really, there was something in those eyes, those _dazzling_ eyes. Kyungsoo still didn’t know what it was, but it didn’t really matter.

 

 

Kyungsoo loved to sing, especially when he was up on a tree. He’d always end up climbing on that tree rooted a few block away from his house.

And that was one of the many things Jongin couldn’t understand. He couldn’t understand how Kyungsoo would have to climb up a fucking tree just to sing. And it’s not like he was singing a variety of songs, just that song by a local band Winged that went, _now and forever, let it be me._

Every time Jongin walked by below, Kyungsoo would call his attention and ask him to come up with him. Jongin would have to make up lies every time just to refuse the silly invitation.

Sometimes on weekends, Jongin would see him climb up the tree early in the morning and when Jongin would pass by in the afternoon, Kyungsoo would still up there, looking straight ahead.

Everything changed when one day, the said tree was cut down by officials of the town. Jongin had not known the real reason why it was cut down, nor did he care why, but what struck him was how Kyungsoo behaved after the incident.

He had completely ignored everything else around him. He wouldn’t talk to anybody, and one time, Jongin saw him running up to the rooftop. Jongin followed him and didn’t dare to push the door open when he heard faint sobs behind it.

 

 

Kyungsoo was fifteen when his mother asked him about Jongin. He couldn’t help the smile forming on his lips. They were in the kitchen and he volunteered to help her set the table.

“What do you like about him?” His mother was smiling as she threw out the random question. Somehow, Kyungsoo wasn’t really surprised to hear this. He was pretty open with his family and he felt like the world already knew how much admiration he had for Jongin.

Kyungsoo sat down on one of the chairs and thought, what was it with about Jongin he liked?

“There’s something about his eyes… I think?”

His mother put down the knife she was holding and sat across her son. “Kyungsoo, you have to look at the whole picture to see its real beauty.”

He didn’t understand what she meant, but she smiled at him and Kyungsoo thought that it was up to him to find out.

Three years later, it wasn't just about beauty of people he ought to find out. There were some things that he looked at as a whole and saw its beauty. Like the scenery he'd always want to look at everyday up from that tree. 

And it pained him, knowing that other people would not not be able to see it how he did. It pained him even more knowing he would never see it again.

 

 

Jongin thought that after the tree cutting incident, Kyungsoo would finally stop bothering him. He was wrong. Just a few week after, Kyungsoo was back to his old self.

“Jongin!”

Jongin fought the urge to roll his eyes and run his hand through his hair. He would definitely not do that, not after styling his hair for almost an hour. He turned around and gave Kyungsoo a wary smile. “Hey, what’s up?”

Kyungsoo was catching his breath, but his smile never left his face. He held out two tickets in front of his face which made Jongin take a step back. “I have two tickets for Winged this Friday!”

Another thing he couldn’t understand about Do Kyungsoo— he seemed to be excited on anything. Those were just tickets to a local band gig, what was there to be so excited about? Moreover, he didn’t even like Winged. It was too late before he could stop himself from saying, “So?”

It worried Jongin for a second (and he didn’t really know why), but the feeling was brushed off when Kyungsoo beamed. “So! Come with me?”

Jongin hated it. He hated being confronted like this. Because for some reason, he really couldn’t say no to Kyungsoo. He didn’t know why, but somewhere deep down, he didn’t want to see that sullen Kyungsoo again. The thought honestly scared him.

“Um, y-yeah, sure,” he said and took one of the tickets from Kyungsoo. When he saw Kyungsoo’s smile, he knew Kyungsoo was really back to his old self.

He stared at Kyungsoo’s retreating back. Jongin couldn’t say no to him, but that didn’t mean he would really go. He wasn’t playing or anything, but every time he was faced with Kyungsoo, he felt like he was losing.

He sighed and walked up to his classmate, Sehun. “Hey,” He patted Sehun’s shoulder. “You can have this.” He took Sehun’s hand and placed the ticket on his palm.

Jongin continued walking to their classroom right after and left a confused Sehun who mumbled a small, “Thank you,” to no one in particular.

 

 

Friday came and Kyungsoo had never been so excited in his life. That night, he would watch his favourite band together with Jongin. He waited outside the mini-concert hall an hour before the opening time. He was too early but it didn’t matter. Waiting didn’t matter.

Two hours had passed and in a few minutes, the concert would start. He kept on dialing Jongin’s number but he wouldn’t answer his phone. Kyungsoo was worried - what if something happened to Jongin while he was on his way? He crouched down and decided to wait some more.

Kyungsoo didn’t even realize when people started coming out the hall, signalling the end of the gig. Kyungsoo felt someone poking his shoulder and he looked up to see Sehun looking at him. “Were you inside, too? Man, weren’t they awesome! I have to thank Jongin again for this.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes snapped and looked at Sehun confusedly. “Jongin?”

“He gave me his ticket for this gig the other day,” Sehun answered.

It took five seconds for Kyungsoo’s tears to start rolling down his cheeks.

 

 

“Kyungsoo, I—”

He had been a jerk, Jongin knew that. And he was sorry. He really was. But seeing the look on Kyungsoo’s face, he knew it would not be that easy to get through this. He wouldn’t be forgiven that easily.

“I’m sorry.”

“No,” Kyungsoo looked straight into his eyes before continuing, “No, you’re not.”

 

 

Kyungsoo finally realized what his mother meant about seeing the whole picture. For years, he had only seen a part of Jongin that he liked. He had ignored everything else that came with Jongin. But after what he did, Kyungsoo finally saw the whole picture.

He finally saw the whole Kim Jongin.

He was nothing more than the supposed-to-be-beauty of the whole picture. He was so much less.

 

 

It was more upsetting to have Do Kyungsoo ignoring you than him pestering you, Jongin thought as he sat on a bench one night, looking up at the countless stars decorating the night sky.

He recalled that line of a book which they were required to read during sixth and closed his eyes. Behind his eyelids, he saw Do Kyungsoo, his huge eyes, his jet black hair, his shocked face. Jongin even heard him singing, laughing, crying, and calling his name. He saw Kyungsoo climbing up a tree and singing a random song. Do Kyungsoo wasn’t just someone, he sparkled with different colors and it was beautiful. _He_ was beautiful.

Behind his eyelids, he saw and heard everything that was Do Kyungsoo — that Judging Eyes boy. Jongin opened his eyes slowly and sighed.

It was even more upsetting to realize that you were in love with someone who finally realized how much of a jerk you were.

 

 

Jongin hated how Kyungsoo avoided him like a plague. It’d been a week since Jongin apologized, and all of his attempts to talk to Kyungsoo failed. Kyungsoo wouldn’t even spare him a glance.

Students were having lunch in the cafeteria when Jongin saw Kyungsoo seated a few tables away from theirs. He was smiling and laughing and just how could he look so beautiful? Such thoughts filled Jongin’s mind. Kyungsoo was smiling and it wasn’t because of him - Kyungsoo was smiling for another guy and Jongin didn’t like it. Fuck yes, he was jealous.

He didn’t know what exactly had gotten into him and before he realize what he was doing, he was already pushing himself up from his seat, marching over to where Kyungsoo sat.

Jongin grabbed Kyungsoo’s arm to make him stand up from his seat. He didn’t say anything when a very annoyed Kyungsoo asked him what was wrong with him. Instead, Jongin just fixated his gaze on Kyungsoo’s lips and moved forward to close their distance by pressing his lips to Kyungsoo’s. He was going to do it. He was going to kiss Do Kyungsoo.

But before he could do so, Kyungsoo pushed him away and Jongin hated himself more when he saw tears running down Kyungsoo’s cheeks.

“You’re really the worst, Kim Jongin.”

Jongin watched as Kyungsoo walked away. He stood there as people in the cafeteria stared at him. He couldn’t even be bothered wondering what they thought about everything that had just happened.

He didn’t know what to do anymore - didn’t know what else to do. There was just one thing he was certain in that moment; something he realized after a whole decade of denial and ignorance. Things like Kyungsoo’s smile and eyes, everything about him. He loved it.

He loved him. Kim Jongin loved Do Kyungsoo.

After a whole decade, he flipped.

 

 

Kyungsoo continued to pretend that Jongin didn’t exist. Kyungsoo didn’t care about him anymore. That was what he kept on etching into his mind. Kim Jongin was a jerk.

But when he saw Jongin walking up to his and Joonmyun’s table, his resolve wavered a bit. And when Jongin grabbed his arm and stared at him and moved forward to kiss him, his resolved completely crumbled... almost.

There was Kim Jongin, trying to kiss him. The guy who walked around with his first kiss. There he was, finally giving it to him.

Kyungsoo shook his head and gathered all his strength to push Jongin away. He couldn’t stop his tears from falling. Jongin was just being too much.

And then he said it, something he should have realized and said to Jongin years before.

“You’re really the worst, Kim Jongin.”

 

 

Weeks passed and Kyungsoo thought Jongin had finally given up trying to talk to him after the he-tried-to-kiss-me incident in the cafeteria.

So when he was in their living room with his family one Saturday night and heard someone awfully singing a very familiar song, something very close to Kyungsoo’s heart, he stood up and walked to the curtain covered glass window. That voice from the outside- that voice he had been hearing for the past ten years; that voice that he’d always recall before he went to sleep.

He pushed aside the curtain to look at Jongin singing in faded jeans and a light blue button-up polo. Kyungsoo looked at his parents and brothers and they looked like what was happening was no surprise. He looked back outside and he couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

He rushed outside to hear even more clearly the song Jongin was singing, “I bless the day I found you, I wanna stay around you.”

Kyungsoo knew Jongin wasn’t born to sing, but it was endearing to hear him do so. “And so I beg you, let it be me,” Jongin continued singing, but it was evident on his face that he was struggling to remember the next line.

“Need some help?” Kyungsoo offered and failed terribly at hiding his smile.

Jongin looked like he was embarrassed and said, “Well...”

“Well?”

Jongin held out two tickets to him. Kyungsoo was surprised to see that those were exactly the same as the tickets he gave him before, but with a different date indicated. “How about we watch the original singer and listen together?”

Kyungsoo felt like crying, but he didn’t really want to shed tears again because he already cried too much in the past month. And who even cries at times like this? Not when someone you admired for ten years just, well, sort of serenaded to you in front of your house.

“Okay,” Kyungsoo said beyond a whisper.

“Okay? Okay _what_?”

 _Dumb fuck Kim Jongin, he still has the guts to use that teasing tone with me_ , Kyungsoo thought to himself, but he smiled anyway and said, “Okay, we’ll go and watch together.”

 

 

Jongin didn’t really know the right lyrics to Kyungsoo’s favourite song. Jongin still went and there he was, singing like he owned the neighbourhood. Jongin didn’t mind if other people ended up throwing things at him because really, who in their right minds would sing so loud at 7 p.m. on some other house’s lawn? Not to mention his voice wasn’t really meant for singing.

But when he saw Kyungsoo came out the house with a smile on his face, so many things ran in and out of his mind. Things like how stupid Jongin was, how wonderful Kyungsoo was; things like how could he ever push Kyungsoo away?

At that very moment, Jongin knew Kyungsoo was that iridescent someone whom nothing in this world could compare to.

 

 

Looking at Jongin’s eyes, those once again dazzling eyes, Kyungsoo knew he wasn’t just looking at his eyes alone. He was looking beyond it, he was looking through it.

And in those eyes, Kyungsoo saw Jongin in a new light.

**Author's Note:**

> This is old and obviously a product of self-indulgence. ♥


End file.
